Barechild
by Storylady35
Summary: An old man sits by a fire in a busy inn, children at his feet as they hang on each word he has to say. He is the storyteller and you are lucky enough for him to tell the tale of 'Barechild' the silent young girl who wears nothing but a bear skin cloak.
1. Chapter 1

**A/N: Just a little something I made up today. Hope you like it.**

Imagine if you will, that you're a traveller, travelling to nowhere from nowhere with nothing but the clothes on your back, some trinkets saved up and a few coins in your purse. You're tired and hungry and can see that the sun is setting but today the fates favour you and just before dusk, you spot smoke seeps up in the dark wood and you find a town.

The inn there is busy and noisy with the smells of beer, smoke and food filling it. You go to the bar and ask the inn keeper how much for a room and a meal.

He's a kind man who agrees to trade a meal for some rare herbs you have and a room for just a few pennies.

So, with your simple meal and a tanker of drink, you go to the fireplace and sit, warming yourself by the crackling glow.

As you eat, you notice a strange chair by the fire, the space around it empty and with other chairs pointing towards it. It's by far the grandest chair in the inn and just as you find your curiosity peaking, a child giggles and runs over to the fireplace, sitting beside the chair on the floor.

She's not the only one.

In less than five minutes ten, twenty, thirty children are huddled around the chair, bumping elbows with each other, the urchins and the merchants sat side by side with wide smiles and whispering excitement. The adults have joined them as well, sitting and looking at the empty chair.

Silence has fallen pardon the fire.

You dare not move or ask what is going on for fear something bad will happen.

It feels as if a spell as befallen the inn.

The children look up and past the chair as a door at the back of the inn opens and a man in a long coat steps out, the tuffs of his hair grey with age, his face more wrinkles than skin but his powerful green eyes are wide with knowledge and power. The children shift to give him access to the chair which he eases himself into with a tired sound.

"Ah, that's better." He says, looking over the children as if counting them. Then his eyes shift over the adults and move to you, giving you a smile. "Well, hello new comer. Travelled far?"

You give him your answer and he nods.

"Ah, I was there once, a very long time ago. In fact, I remember a story from there. Perhaps you know it. It's called 'Barechild.'"

You frown, unfamiliar with the name.

But the old man's eyes have drifted from you to the children sat at his feet. "I don't think I've told you all the tale of Barechild, have I?"

"Noooo."

You grin as the children sing the word. So that's what's going on, this man is a storyteller!

He sits back and lifts a tanker in his hands. The inn keeper appears behind him suddenly and fills it from a bottle. "There you go old Tom. So, tell this story. Tell us the story of Barechild."

Old Tom smiled and takes a sip, dragging his time and teasing everyone, you included.

"Ah, Barechild. It's quite a story. It begins, as stories often do, with a prince.


	2. Chapter 2

Now this prince was a bit of an odd one. He didn't laugh, he didn't smile and he didn't care for anyone but himself. And as if his attitude wasn't odd enough, he _looked_ odd! Hair as silver as the full moon and eyes as bright as the sun! Now, this prince, Sesshomaru his name was but as it was _such_ a **mouthful**, that everyone called him Prince. Anyway… this prince did have a little bit of a weakness. He liked shiny things.

Like a magpie he was; if he saw something shiny, he's pick it up or buy it or take it in some cases. No one dared argue with him as, well, he was the prince. But many took advantage of his weakness. The ladies especially.

They would have dresses made with jewels and gems sown into them, made from spun gold and silver. Anything in hope of catching the young prince's eye.

But, and you might be surprised to hear this, it wasn't a shiny thing that caught his eye. In fact it was quite the opposite.

The thing that caught his eye came to him stark raving naked!

But I'm getting ahead of myself.

You see, every Thursday, come rain, snow, sun or wind, the prince would set off on his horse and ride out to the far corners of his father's kingdom. At dawn he was at the furthest point south, by lunch he was at the furthest point east, by dinner he was at the furthest point north and by dusk he was at the furthest point west. Now, that makes it sound like his kingdom was very small but, as I'm sure our traveller will tell you, it is in fact one of the largest in the world. That just shows how fast and well the prince could ride.

He rode… well, _partly_ alon;, he had his servant with him. Jaken's its name was but everyone normally just called him 'imp' as he was so short. Honestly, some people could step on him and never even realise. And the prince wasn't very nice to the imp, often hitting him over the head or kicking him over things. But it was always by his side, loyal to the point of stupidity.

So one Thursday, around lunch, when he was heading to the furthest point east, the prince slowed down. This was very strange as it allowed Jaken to catch up. And they sat on their horses and looked at the road before them and what lay on it.

A body.


	3. Chapter 3

Old Tom licks his lips as he finishes his drink then puts it down with a sigh.

"So, the prince sees a body lying on the road. From the top of his horse he can tell it's a woman, young and slender but she isn't wearing any clothes. Instead she has a tatty black fur cloak over her shoulders and hanging around her back. It's very long but hanging away from her body, covering only the woman's back. Which means, my little ones, the prince could see her bum! Yes, yes. Yes, alright… that's enough… come on… if you don't mind settling down… children… children…"

"Quite!"

That makes you jump. The speaker is clearly a teacher of some kind to have that much power in her voice.

As the inn falls back into hush, Tom takes a drink and nods to the woman. "Yes, thank you Sarah. Anyway, the prince is a gentleman and does not linger on the fact that the woman does not have any clothes on. Instead he climbs down from his horse and walks over to her, moving her cloak so it covers her body and rolls her onto her back, making sure her cloak covers her there as well.

And what he sees enchants him. Although her face if covered in mud from where she fell, and there are a few bruises on her neck and cheeks, she has very fair skin with dark hair that hands around her in mud coated locks. Her lips are parted as she breathes but each breath he takes is as if it's drawing him in, deeper and deeper, closer and closer to her, daring him to kiss those lush pink lips….

But he doesn't.

So, what is a prince who finds a beautiful, unconscious woman with nothing but a bear skin on to do?

Why, take her home of course!

And so he did. He carried her all the way back to his palace and placed her in a bed, covered her up with a sheet and sent for a doctor and for someone to clean her up. Both came and did their best with her but the poor child didn't stir for either.

And so the prince left to inform his mother and father of his discovery and to get something to eat.

And the woman was left all alone, clean and asleep, still in only her bear skin and her own flesh.


	4. Chapter 4

Where was I? Oh yes, that's right, the prince had just brought the woman back to the palace and gone to get something to eat.

Well, with his tummy full, the prince headed back to the room where he had left the girl and found the imp by the door with his arms full of clothes.

"For the girl mi lord."

He didn't say anything, as was his way and pushed into the room.

The bed, where he had left the girl was empty!

Where was she?

Where could she have gone?

Was she running around the palace in nothing but a sheet and her cloak?

But the prince was smart.

While his imp was running around the room, screaming to find the girl, the prince stood and listened.

Then he kicked his servant out the room and closed the door on him, leaving himself in the empty room. And he stood. And he listened.

And he listened a little more.

And then he heard what he was waiting for.

A tiny whimper, a tiny sob of fear, coming from the wardrobe.

And so he stepped over to the doors, took a handle in each hand and pulled them apart. There she was, awake, tears running down her face as she cowered in her cloak, pulling herself away from him.

He blinked at her.

The story says that her eyes were like an ancient forest, a world long forgotten where the elves and pixies still could be found. And in looking into her eyes, you could see them dance and sing.

And the prince was once again enchanted.

But no elves danced right now.

Right now her eyes were mirrors, showing him what she saw, a strange man with strange hair and strange eyes in strange clothes in a strange place.

Well, it was very strange.

So the prince nodded slowly, keeping his actions steady and calm. "Easy." He said, reaching out to her. "Easy, I'm not going to hurt you."

And the girl looked at him and listened to the dark tone of his voice.

Armies have turned and run just at the sound of the prince's voice. Whole oceans have calmed just because he said it bothered him. But she found warmth in his voice. It was like milk and honey to her.

So she reached out and took his hand, stepping out of her hiding place, her bear cape dropping around her and hiding her body.

The prince stood, looking down at her as she only came to his shoulder and waited. Waited for her to speak, to ask him questions, to tell him who she was.

But no sound came from her mouth.

And he stood for the longest time, holding her hand and just waiting.

Until realisation hit him. "You can't speak." He said to her. And the woman shook her head.

She could hear and understand. But not speak.

So the prince went on to introduce himself and explain how she had come to the palace and that she was safe. He also said that new clothes were ready for her but funnily, the girl shook her head and held her cape tighter.

"They are the clothes of a lady, they will suit you fine." The prince explained, allowing his imp back in and holding one of the gowns out to her for her to look over. "You should try it on."

But the girl shook her head and stepped back. She refused to even touch the clothes.

Confused, the prince guessed she just wasn't use to such fine clothes and sent for the clothes of a servant instead.

But again she would not touch them.

He sent for the clothes of a farmer and again she would not touch them.

He tried everything, the clothes of a lady, the clothes of a swineherd, the clothes of a princess and the clothes of a dung herder. But nothing. She would not touch any of them.

She kept her bearskin cape tight to her body, concealing herself from him and any she came close to. Soon, after a week of trying, after a week of giving her clothes that she would not even touch, the prince grew bored and decided to ignore her.


	5. Chapter 5

"What! Is that it?"

"Yeah, did the prince really just ignore her?"

"Well, he grew bored of trying to get her to wear clothes. It was clear that she had no intentions of ever wearing them and she _was_ covered by her bear skin.

But he didn't get bored of _her_. In fact, he couldn't forget she was there as the little thing followed him around like a puppy chasing his shadow. She was never more than five steps away from him during the day and during the night he would be woken by her sneaking in and curling herself up at the end of his bed.

He scolded her every day for a month, told her to go to her room. At first he even dragged her out by the scruff of her cloak and forced her back into her own room but she always came back and, once again, he grew bored of fighting her and just gave up, allowing her to sleep at the foot of his bed.

The king and queen didn't always approve of her, the way she followed him, the way she didn't speak and the way she always wore that bear skin but after a few months, they came to just accept and ignore Barechild.

Barechild was what the servants had nicknamed the strange woman and eventually the whole castle was calling her it, even the prince although he didn't say it as a tease, more as just a way to address her.

Barechild. As she wore a _bear_ skin, was _bare_ underneath, acted like a _child_ and never spoke a word, like a _child_. So, Barechild was her name and she grew to respond to it.

So the months rolled on and Barechild lived in the palace. She still wore nothing, she still said nothing and she still did nothing but follow the prince.

Or so the people thought.

People thought that because she didn't speak, she was simple minded and dumb. But she could be found reading at the foot of the prince's desk while he sat with his work.

They thought because she followed him like a shadow that she was stupid. But she could play chess with the prince and gave him a run for his money too.

Because she wore a bear skin they thought she was wild and uncivilised. But she ate with a knife and fork and was graceful in her movements.

Ah yes, there was far more to Barechild than people thought. But only the prince ever saw these sides to her. Only he saw her for smart, civilised and humble.

If anything, her bear skin only made her more of an interest to him. He wondered where the skin had come from, how it had come to her and why she didn't speak.

And one night, as he heard his door open and she snuck in to his room, he sighed and sat up. "Barechild." He said. And she stopped, looking at him with her enchanted eyes. "Barechild, come and put your head on my pillow tonight. Do not sleep at my feet like a dog."

And Barechild nodded, putting her head on his pillow and wrapping her cloak around herself while he wrapped his sheets around her. She lay there, eyes wide and sparkling in the dark light.

The prince watched as fairies flew around her forest eyes then chose to speak his mind. "Barechild, can you speak?"

And Barechild nodded.

"Why do you not?"

But she said nothing.

"Could you, if you wanted to?"

She nodded but it was slow and her eyes grew sad.

Annoyed at her answer, the prince frowned and turned his head to the pillows. "You can speak and yet will not speak."

Strangely, Barechild put a hand on his shoulder, rubbing it for a moment.

Her touch was soft and warming and her smile gave him comfort. And so the prince sighed and wrapped his arms around his strange friend, pulling her into his chest and feeling her hair beneath his face.


	6. Chapter 6

So, Barechild could talk but chose not to. It was curious as to why but soon the prince forgot it. She would not and that was that to him.

Like her refusal to wear clothes, there must be a reason.

And one day, he found the reason.

And it had been before him the whole time.

Barechild had been living with him for half a year and winter had crept over the land. The prince still took his weekly ride to the south then the east then the north then the west before returning home.

One day he returned and found a small figure shaking on the steps. He frowned at her and told her off for being outside. She knew better than to be in the cold snow in nothing but her cloak. She should be inside by a fire, keeping nice and warm. She'd catch her death outside in the snow.

And so he told her. He told her until his voice lifted above any had heard from him. Once scolded, he marched Barechild back inside and up to his room, placing her before the fire, sitting her down and scolded her again.

Once she was truly sorry and tears threatened to fall from her eyes, the prince softened and went back to his uncaring self. He got a blanket and wrapped it around her before reaching and taking away her cloak.

It was soaking wet you see and half frozen from the snow.

So he took it off her and…. His eyes would not believe what he was seeing.

Her back was carved with long dark red gashes, cuts deep into her skin, raw and some bleeding.

Barechild was still as he touched one. "What happened? Who did this?"

Who indeed as the cuts were too uniform, too straight and shaped to be accidents which m meant someone had done it to her. But Barechild, bless her soul, made no sound. She just stood and looked at him.

Then she did something strange. Blanket around her, she walked across the room to a large standing mirror, her back to it while she looked into the glass.

The prince looked as well.

Her refection of the cuts was different and now the shapes became letters and the letters became words and the words read as such;

**_Bare the burn of betrayal. Below the bear's bone, beauty isn't a burden to a beast._**

Written on her back, in her skin, cut and burnt were these words and it was clear what they were.

A curse.

Barechild was cursed.


	7. Chapter 7

"What kind of curse Mr Tom?"

"Wait and see my little one. But, Davy, my mugs dry."

Suddenly you pipe up and offer to buy him a drink which he accepts and you hand off a few coins.

The storyteller shifts in his chair and everyone takes moment to shift and get comfortable and for someone to poke the fire, making it glow and crackle again.

Then Old Tom gets his drink and the inn falls silent.

"So, Barechild was cursed. But what kind of curse? And could it be broken? Well, both Barechild knew and both Barechild was about to tell her prince.

As carefully as she could, Barechild walked around the room to the chest and pulled out one of his shirts, her hands trembling and her face scared. Then she slipped it on over her head, covering her back.

And she covered her mouth, a silent scream coming from her. She screamed and screamed as she was clearly in pain, staggering around the room until her knees buckled and she fell to the floor, her eyes watering with tears.

But to what the prince could see she was unharmed.

After a few seconds, Barechild stripped the shirt off and threw it as far away from herself as she could manage before beginning to cry silently, curling up as her hands reached for her back.

He walked over and looked at her back.

The cuts were all bleeding, the blood sliding down her skin and staining the sheet she had around herself.

And the smart prince understood what she was trying to tell him. It wasn't that she didn't _want_ to wear clothes. It was that she _couldn't_ wear clothes. If she did, this curse took effect and she was put into agony.

So that was why. The bear skin was all she could wear without being harmed.

The line**_Bare the burn of betrayal _**was that she was burnt, that was the pain she felt.

**_Below in bear's bone, _**was reference to her cloak and **_beauty isn't a burden to a beast _**was because she was more beast than beauty without clothes on.

So, that was her curse. But how was it lifted? As this wouldn't be much of a story if the curse on poor Barechild wasn't lifted. The prince asked her and she gave him no reply.

Or she did. She just didn't say it. Instead she tapped her neck.

And he understood.

"You're voice… that's the way to break the spell?"

She nodded, smiling.

"For how long?"

She shrugged.

"You don't know how long you have to be silent?"

And Barechild shook her head.

"How long have you already been?" The prince asked and the woman held up a single finger.

"One year?"

Again, the naked woman nodded.

And that is how the prince knew. He now knew why Barechild was silent, why she wore her bear skin and how to break her spell.

It still left some things unanswered like where she came from or what her real name was but the prince didn't really care about that. She was here now and her name was Barechild.

And the days passed and the months passed and the season's changed and the prince and Barechild became closer and closer with each moment they spent together.

Which, I might add, included the nights. The prince had decided that since Barechild snuck into his room no matter what anyone said; king, queen, advisors or even if he told her not to, she still did. So he'd told her to just come into his room when she was ready to sleep and sleep in his bed with him.

Some people put this down to her simple mind but the prince knew she just wanted to be near him and in all honestly, he wanted her to be near him too. For he had come to love his little Barechild, fallen for her silent ways, her simple gestures and her constant companionship.

It had been over two years since the prince had found Barechild and one day his mother the queen announced there was a week of great balls to celebrate the prince's birthday. Of course the prince wasn't happy about this; he wasn't one for parties but… as I'm sure you children know, you should never go against your parent's wishes.

So the ball came and the women of the land came in the greatest ball gowns and their smartest hair styles and their best jewels, all hoping that the prince would pick them to dance with and hopefully ask to marry.

Of course, the prince had no intention of finding a bride in this hullabaloo, he just wanted to get in there, get it done and get out of there. Mostly this was because his poor Barechild had been forbidden to come as she was unsuitably dressed.

The queen had given her a beautiful gown to wear and said if she wore it she could attend. But her curse forbids it so she kept away from the dress and watched the ball from a high window where no one could see her undressed form.

She watched and watched until she could take no more and fled to her bedroom where she silently cried herself to sleep.

Poor Barechild.

The next night, when everyone came back for the second night of parties, Barechild snuck down to the gardens and watched from a window until one of the guests saw her and screamed, thinking it was some kind of wild animal. And poor Barechild ran off to her room again before anyone would realise it was her.

The third night she went to the kitchens and stood at the servant's entrance, listening to the chatter and music. She stood and listened and smiled, swaying in time with the music. Until a cook spotted her and told her off for bringing her filthy cloak into his kitchen. And poor Barechild ran off to her room again.

The forth night she stayed in a hallway, looking in from a crack in the doors. It was dark where she was so no one would see her, no servants came this way so she wasn't in the way and she couldn't see the dancers so she didn't get upset at them. And she stood in the hallway all on her own for hours, listening and wishing.

Then, as the king began to make a speech, the door she was looking around opened and her prince stepped out. He spotted her at once and frowned. "You know you shouldn't be here, Barechild."

She looked apologetic at him but then at the doors as the people clapped and the music restarted. Then the prince stepped over to her and held out his hand. "May I have this dance?" he said in that sweet, milk and honey voice that so rarely made an appearance.

Who could resist a dance with the prince? Certainly not Barechild and she took his hand and they danced in the darkness of the corridor, the music leaking in from the other room. And little Barechild was quiet a dancer, smiling and moving perfectly with the music.

But then the doors opened, flooding the corridor with light and the queen stared and little Barechild in her bear skin cloak and nothing else.

Before the woman could say a word, the girl ran off to her room, fearing her scolding.

The next day the queen did scold her, telling her that she had to choice. Would she attend the ball or be locked in her room? But if she attended there would be no sneaking around. She would dress as a lady and attend as a guest.

And Barechild was locked in her room for the night.

The next day the queen came with the same offer. Be locked in your room or wear a dress and attend.

And again Barechild chose to have her door locked.

The last night of the party came, the day of the prince's actually birthday and it was to be the grandest of them all.

And the queen once again came to Barechild and offered her the chance.

And Barechild took it.


	8. Chapter 8

"Barechild went to the ball?"

"Yes my dear, she did. She went to the last day of the ball. But the prince knew nothing about it. He knew Barechild had been locked away in her room for the last two nights as his mother had told him. And he thought the last night would be the same.

But as the party continued and as the ballroom filled with women in all colours of the world, with them smiling and laughing and flapping their fans… his eyes caught one who wasn't smiling. One who wasn't laughing and one whose face was twisted with pain.

And he saw her eyes, the forest inside them and the mad painful dancing in them. Without a second hesitation he hurried over to them and held her tight. "Barechild, you shouldn't be here."

That was when he noticed what she was wearing.

Not her bear cape but an amazing white gown with blue ribbons at the front and roses in her hair. But as amazing as she looked, her face was only just holding back the pain she was in, her body shaking as he held her.

Of course, the prince knew why she was doing this. It was his birthday and pain or no pain she wanted to be there with him. That was why she was dressed up. That was why she was in agony.

So he sighed and bowed to her. "One dance then you go back to your room." He whispered, taking her hand.

Barechild nodded weakly and almost stumbled her way to the dance floor. She wasn't as graceful as she had been in the hallway, her pain making her loose count or miss a step but the prince kept her tight and granted her wish. He danced with her, with everyone watching and showed them how beautiful she was.

But as the dance ended, Barechild let out a cry of pain and collapsed, unconscious. The whole room hurried to help but the prince was the only one who knew how to help her.

He picked her up off the floor and carried her to his room where he tore off the dress and let her sleep while he returned to the party only to explain what had happened and where he was going.

So he went back to his little Barechild, locked the door, undressed himself and slipped into bed beside her. He held her so tight that night that not one part of his body wasn't pressed against hers. And since she was naked and he was naked, it was quite an interesting night.


	9. Chapter 9

"Well come on Tom, don't keep us hanging. Did he _do it_ with her?"

"Now, now young master, there are children here. But no, he didn't. He was a prince and a gentleman of a prince at that. No, Barechild was asleep, unconscious from her pain. He would never do anything to her without her consent. No, no, the prince held his Barechild close and felt her breath on his chest but did nothing to her, only try and ease her pain. Come morning he scolded her for her stupidity and saw to her back which was bleeding madly.

And after tending to her wounds and making sure she was wrapped up warm in a sheet, the prince kissed the woman and held her tight.

For three weeks she was stuck to her bed, unable to move, such were her injuries. And with each day that passed, the prince cursed her for doing what she had and he cursed himself for allowing her.

Each day he saw to her back, wrapped her up and kissed her before holding her tight, falling asleep with her in his arms and after the three weeks were up, he walked around with her following when he would sometimes stop and just grab her, kissing her.

He was in love with little silent Barechild.

One night he lay in bed, waiting for her. And when she came and sat on the side of his bed, he grabbed her hand. "Barechild, I will be honest with you." He said, not looking at her. "If you stay here tonight, I will prove my love for you. But I cannot be sure of my strength and I may harm you. I would understand if you wish to leave but please, do so now."

Barechild sat for a moment, thinking. Then she stood and left.

The next night he said the same thing to her and she stood and left.

The third night was the night of a full moon and the prince knew what would happen if she stayed tonight. And Barechild sat beside him and listened as he gave her the choice.

"I will understand if you leave but please, do so now."

But Barechild sat and remained where she was.

And so the prince took her.

He lay her back in his bed and he held her tight with all his strength which was quite plenty. Poor Barechild, she loved the prince, she loved his kindness and warmth but he had not lied, he did hurt her.

In the morning she lay beside him, sore and bruised but happy and smiling at him.

So the prince went to his mother and father with the woman in her bear skin and told them that he wished to marry her.

And the king and queen had no choice but to allow it as it appeared that Barechild could… well … she could bear a child.

Within months of becoming the prince's wife, she became as round as the moon and gave birth to a healthy baby boy.

And I'm glad to say that she lived happily for the rest of her life.


	10. Chapter 10

"Oi! What about the curse! Barechild can't have lived the rest of her life under the curse, never able to speak or wear clothes! Come on Tom, finish the story!"

Tom gives a loud heart-warming chuckle. "HAHA! See, our stranger friend is listening more than you lot! You are quite right my friend, I have forgotten how Barechild broke her spell.

Well, after she was married to the prince, Barechild's secret was impossible to keep. After all, she was a princess who could not speak and wore nothing but a bear skin cloak.

So the royals had to explain that she was cursed.

And people began to guess and bet on when her curse would be broken.

Two year was gone so three was the next bet. Four was never an option as four is a unlucky number. Five was a good guess. So was ten.

But those who bet on ten were way out.

It was eight years.

For eight long years Barechild was silent, unable to say her husband or son's names. Unable to make a sound. Unable to make a whisper.

Then one day…

"Oww!"

She'd pricked her finger while making a shirt for her son.

Her husband and family looked up suddenly from their games. They stared at her. "Barechild?"

The woman looked up. And smiled. "My name's Rin, husband."

He ran over to her and swept her up into his arms, hugging her tight before turning her around and lifting the cloak away. Her curse was gone, the scars healing right before his eyes.

No one knows why that single pin prick cured her but Barechild was free.

She fell to her knees and grabbed her son in a hug, calling his name over and over again until he was sick of hearing it!

Then she turned to her husband and called him by name until he was sick of hearing it. Leaving his son with his grandmother, the prince took the woman up to their bedchambers, took off her bear cape and took her to the bed. And there they spoke and laughed and Rin told him everything.

Turned out that Barechild was very special. Of course, her husband and son already knew that but it turned out she was very, very special. She was in fact a princess from a country to the north, a rich powerful country. She had been cursed when her father refused to pay the full price for a dress he'd had commissioned for her. She had been forced to wear nothing but an old bear skin coat or suffer a painful fate. It had led to her running away from home as people laughed and pointed at her.

But now she was free and able to speak and dress and be with her husband and son.

And as I said, she lived happily for the rest of her life.


	11. Chapter 11

You smile and clap with the rest of the audience as the children hurry to give a few coins to the old man, tipping them into his tankard. When they have all gone off with their parents and the inn is all but empty, you work your way over to old Tom and thank him. You explain that you did know the story as it was history to you, the story of the great Lord Sesshomaru and his wife, Lady Rin.

Old Tom smiles. "Well, my friend, history can be forgotten and the past can be erased from our minds, but a good story will last forever."

A/N: Well, i hope you liked that, I wrote it in less than three hours as I haven't had a bit of luck writing the ending of Demon Hotel. Should keep you lot happy for a couple of hours at least. :D Keep tuned!


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